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Vietnam Air War #2
Lucky's Bridge
Ordered to fly into the heart of enemy territory to bomb the vital Doumer Bridge linking Hanoi with Haiphong and China, the pilots of the 345th Tactical Fighter Squadron muster every ounce of courage they have to complete their mission.
688 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 1, 1993
34 people are currently reading
38 people want to read
About the author
Tom "Bear" Wilson
10 books5 followersTom "Bear" Wilson was a career United States Air Force Officer with 3000 hours of flying time, mostly in fighters. During his 500 hours of combat flying, he earned four Silver Star Medals for gallantry and three Distinguished Flying Crosses for heroism. He also served in various roles as instructor, flight examiner, tactician, staff officer, and unit commander. After leaving the military, Wilson enjoyed diverse careers, including: private investigator, gunsmith, newspaper publisher, and manager of advanced programs for a high-tech company in Silicon Valley. Mr. Wilson resides in Texas and has recently completed his ninth novel, Black Serpent.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 11, 2019
What it was like
Wilson does a excellent and exciting story of what it was like to be a F105 pilot attacking difficult targets located in North Vietnam. As a Marine A4 pilot with 2 tours he accurately reports on the many restrictions placed on pilots fighting the war. I mainly worked on targets in the Southern part of North Vietnam, close air support of Marine's and Army ground forces. I also flew up and down the HoChiMin trail in Laos. Today when politicians want to use technologies to protect our southern boarder, I can attest that they did not work on the HoChiMin trail back then and will not work today. Just as the politicians lost the war in Vietnam they will not stop illegals from entering our country. Wilson reports on what happens when politicians try and run a war.
Wilson does a excellent and exciting story of what it was like to be a F105 pilot attacking difficult targets located in North Vietnam. As a Marine A4 pilot with 2 tours he accurately reports on the many restrictions placed on pilots fighting the war. I mainly worked on targets in the Southern part of North Vietnam, close air support of Marine's and Army ground forces. I also flew up and down the HoChiMin trail in Laos. Today when politicians want to use technologies to protect our southern boarder, I can attest that they did not work on the HoChiMin trail back then and will not work today. Just as the politicians lost the war in Vietnam they will not stop illegals from entering our country. Wilson reports on what happens when politicians try and run a war.
October 18, 2020
Great book from the pilots point of view. Keeps you with that reading high that you don't want to put the book down. I started with this book before i realized that there is on before this and after. Now i need to get both of them!
July 25, 2023
Gripping story with the ring of experience.
Just finished the second book of this trilogy. It’s such an amazing story. You can tell the author has experienced what he is talking about.
Just finished the second book of this trilogy. It’s such an amazing story. You can tell the author has experienced what he is talking about.
July 1, 2017
I can’t say enough good things about this story. Not only do we get the American side of the story, but also the North Vietnamese side; combat and political.
One would think that the Communists would have a unified command structure which would put aside political ambitions to defeat America. Not the case. The intrigue is deep and well planned out.
This is one of those novels that has successfully mixed fiction and non-fiction like a glove. From the brutal treatment of American POW’s to the frustration of not being able to attack strategic targets where the pilots know the defenses aren’t beefed-up and would do some ral damage to the North Vietnamese.
The main character for the Americans is Major Lucky Anderson. He was a tough, savvy pilot who expects everyone in his squadron do perform his duty but also do within the assigned guidelines laid down by headquarters. Since the North Vietnamese knew what guidelines the American had to follow they placed their AA weapons in the appropriate places to ensure the most damage to the strikes! Utter madness.
The story heats up when the gloves are taken off and the squadron is allowed to hit real targets-air bases. Since the enemy isn’t aware of this change in policy Lucky’s boys take the fight where it will show real results-air bases. They hit Kep PAAF Auxiliary Air Base and kill pilot Nguyen Thanh. He is the son of Quon, a high-ranking officer of the NVA who isn’t pleased with his son’s death. He starts a personal mission of redemption.
To continue the review would have me writing a small book which would be counterproductive. I say this much though, what I describe only briefly scratches the surface of this fast- paced exciting novel. Throw an incompetent, arrogant officer, death of fellow pilots, a love interest, a fellow pilot in the US recovering from injuries, a political web in the North Vietnamese command and the excellent descriptions of the weapons, tactics and air battles and you have a great read!
On the grammar side, I did find a few mistakes: Champing should be chomping, bum center-burn center, immediately-immediate. There are a few others, but I’ll let the author sort that out.
Four and-a-half Stars
One would think that the Communists would have a unified command structure which would put aside political ambitions to defeat America. Not the case. The intrigue is deep and well planned out.
This is one of those novels that has successfully mixed fiction and non-fiction like a glove. From the brutal treatment of American POW’s to the frustration of not being able to attack strategic targets where the pilots know the defenses aren’t beefed-up and would do some ral damage to the North Vietnamese.
The main character for the Americans is Major Lucky Anderson. He was a tough, savvy pilot who expects everyone in his squadron do perform his duty but also do within the assigned guidelines laid down by headquarters. Since the North Vietnamese knew what guidelines the American had to follow they placed their AA weapons in the appropriate places to ensure the most damage to the strikes! Utter madness.
The story heats up when the gloves are taken off and the squadron is allowed to hit real targets-air bases. Since the enemy isn’t aware of this change in policy Lucky’s boys take the fight where it will show real results-air bases. They hit Kep PAAF Auxiliary Air Base and kill pilot Nguyen Thanh. He is the son of Quon, a high-ranking officer of the NVA who isn’t pleased with his son’s death. He starts a personal mission of redemption.
To continue the review would have me writing a small book which would be counterproductive. I say this much though, what I describe only briefly scratches the surface of this fast- paced exciting novel. Throw an incompetent, arrogant officer, death of fellow pilots, a love interest, a fellow pilot in the US recovering from injuries, a political web in the North Vietnamese command and the excellent descriptions of the weapons, tactics and air battles and you have a great read!
On the grammar side, I did find a few mistakes: Champing should be chomping, bum center-burn center, immediately-immediate. There are a few others, but I’ll let the author sort that out.
Four and-a-half Stars
May 6, 2016
Great read
A very good novel about the F105's and their missions in Vietnam. A good description of the nuances and mismanagement that occurred but were overcome by grit and heroics.
A very good novel about the F105's and their missions in Vietnam. A good description of the nuances and mismanagement that occurred but were overcome by grit and heroics.
Read
March 10, 2016paperback 4x6
April 8, 2017
Sucked
If a book could insist upon itself, then this is the book to do it. It would be better as a crappy romantic novel, all of the action and "fighter" pilot parts ring false.
If a book could insist upon itself, then this is the book to do it. It would be better as a crappy romantic novel, all of the action and "fighter" pilot parts ring false.
April 14, 2017
Can't wait to read the third.
Shit hot! Great book! Iwish more authors would tell the stories of vietnam and the brave men who fought there.
Shit hot! Great book! Iwish more authors would tell the stories of vietnam and the brave men who fought there.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews